


Worked Like A Charm

by AimAim94



Series: Iron Dad/Spider Son Short stories and One Shots [6]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: F/M, Hurt Tony Stark, Peter Parker is a Little Shit, Peter Parker is protective of those he loves, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Needs Sleep
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-03
Updated: 2020-01-03
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:42:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22095829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AimAim94/pseuds/AimAim94
Summary: Tony isn't taking care of himself.Pepper and Rhodey call in reinforcements to help.
Relationships: Pepper Potts & James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Peter Parker & James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Peter Parker & Pepper Potts, Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Series: Iron Dad/Spider Son Short stories and One Shots [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1540996
Comments: 35
Kudos: 622





	Worked Like A Charm

**Author's Note:**

> SOOO many likes on my last fic "Human Shield." THANK YOU!!
> 
> I wanted to put out another protective Peter Parker story for those of you that loved it. I hope you love this one just as much! 
> 
> I know there aren't as many fanfics of Peter being protective of Tony as there are of Tony being protective of Peter. I hope to add some more of these storylines as I go along.
> 
> *Note: I don't own these characters. They belong to Marvel and Sony.*

“How long has it been since he last slept?” Rhodey asked quietly. 

“He’s running on fumes. He keeps claiming he’s fine. You and I both know that’s not true.” Pepper remarked. 

“Do we have a plan yet?” Rhodey asked. 

“I do. It wouldn’t be playing fair.” She pointed out. 

“I just watched him shake himself back awake and then go for more coffee! We’re past fair.” Rhodey said. 

“Then we need to call Peter.” 

“Oh. Man. He can’t say no to Peter.” 

“I know. It’s not fair to Peter though because Peter worries.” 

“We have to do it.” 

Pepper pulled out her phone. She couldn’t believe she was going to convince Peter to convince Tony to sleep.

~

Peter bounced into the tower after school. He found Pepper and Rhodey in the kitchen, “Mr. Stark really hasn’t been sleeping? Is he like okay? Don’t worry! I came prepared!” 

“What did you bring?” Rhodey asked. 

“What didn’t I bring? I brought: melatonin, lavender oil, chamomile tea, and of course…ME.” Peter listed off things on his fingers. 

“Do you have a plan?” 

“I mean normally I just wing it.” 

“This is why your Tony’s kid.” Rhodey closed his eyes wondering how this plan was going to go horribly wrong. 

“Because he always comes prepared?” Peter asked. 

“Sure. Kid. It has nothing to do with the charging into situations blindly and hoping for the best.” Rhodey said. 

“Focus. We have a window before he becomes crabby and mean from lack of sleep. NO one wants it to come to that.” Pepper said. 

“I feel like we need a team name. I mean I only say that because we’re in like a team huddle. We have a clear goal in mind, and losing is not an option.” Peter pointed out. 

“Fine. Kid. We can be team, “Don’t let Tony get mean from lack of sleep.” Rhodey said. 

Peter frowned, “That’s the worst name in the history of team names.” 

“Peter. Name the team whatever you want.” Pepper said. 

“I’m going to call us team sloths. But it can be operation, “Don’t Let Tony Get Mean from Lack of Sleep.” Peter said. 

“Deal. Now let’s do this!” 

“Where’s this “let’s” you’re talking about? I feel like this is all on me.” Peter said. 

“It is. I went in there and he told me that he’d sleep when I stopped making him go to useless meetings. I can’t do that, Peter!” Pepper pointed out. 

“So he’s already a little mean from lack of sleep is what you’re telling me?” 

“Yep. Good luck!” 

~  
Peter walked into the lab quietly, “Umm. Tony?”

“Pete. I’m a bit busy. Can it wait?” 

“I mean I guess. As long as you don’t care that I haven’t slept in like 48 hours.?” Peter asked casually. 

“Kid. Where’d you get an idea that it’s okay to stay awake that long? Your body needs sleep. Listen. No more Spider-Manning until you’ve gotten a solid eight…NO. TEN hours of sleep in a row!” Tony said firmly turning to look at the spider kid who was now laying on the table and tossing a ball to the ceiling and catching it. 

“So what you’re saying is that refusing to give your body what it needs to survive is not okay?” Peter confirmed. 

“Right. Does May know you’ve gone without sleep for that long. I’m going to call her. No one in this family is allowed to have any self destructive qualities anymore. It’s just healed and whole. You understand, kid?”

“Totally. Also…When was the last time YOU slept?” Peter saw it in Tony’s face. He had finally figured out he’d walked himself right into a trap. He had to lie to Peter or tell the truth and admit that he was doing the opposite of what he’d told Peter was healthy. 

“Peter. Let’s not focus on me…” Tony started. 

“NO! Let’s! You always take care of me and make sure I’m not sleep deprived, hungry, or cold, and that I always have what I need. YOU even come for me when I’m bleeding to death in an alley somewhere. Now it’s my turn to take care of you. You just said that you wouldn’t let me do what you’ve been doing to yourself. Why won’t you let your body rest?” Peter jumped off the table to stand to make his point stronger. 

“Peter. I’m an adult. I know my limits. You’re a kid. You need reminders. I don’t. I’m fine, Peter.” Tony assured. 

“Why are you lying to me? You don’t even care that you’re hurting yourself!” Peter said. 

“Pete…” Tony reached for the teenager to pull him in for a hug because he could sense he was getting worked up over the subject. 

“NO. Don’t hug me. I need you to start caring about yourself as much as you care about me.” Peter took a step away from him. 

“Peter. I promise you I’m fine.” Tony assured. 

“I thought you said healed and whole. How does lying fit into that?” Peter questioned. 

“Okay. Peter. I’m sorry. I don’t know what you need right now. I can see you’re upset. I don’t know why or what I did. I really am fine. I’m not lying to you about that. I’ll sleep when my body needs it.” Tony tried. 

“What I need right now? We aren’t talking about me!” Peter turned to walk away. He was done with this talk. 

“Peter. Stop.” Tony tried but the kid was moving up the stairs. He didn’t miss the kid wiping tears off his cheeks as he went away though. Tony’s heart sank a bit at that. 

~

Peter walked by Pepper and Rhodey and said, “Sorry. I failed.” 

And he just kept walking until he was in the guest room he’d stayed in recently. He collapsed on the bed and waited. 

Tony came upstairs not long after Peter walked by them, “Kid?” He asked Pepper and Rhodey. 

They both pointed down the hall. 

He found Peter in the guest room and went to sit side by side, “Kid. I’m sorry. I’ll work harder at taking care of myself. I didn’t know it would upset you this much.” 

“You know how you hate to see me upset?” Peter asked. 

“Yeah. Kind of like right now where I feel like my heart is actually hurting at the tears and my heart is literally breaking knowing I caused them?” Tony teased. 

“That’s how I feel when I know that you don’t love yourself as much as I love you because if you did then you wouldn’t let yourself go without what your body needs to survive.” Peter laid his head against Tony’s shoulder. 

“Hmm. Okay. I give up. I’ll do better. I’m waving the white flag. You win.” Tony said. 

“Starting now?” Peter asked. 

“Seriously? It’s 4pm?” Tony looked at his watch.

“I brought some things to help you sleep!” Peter reached for his backpack on the floor. 

“Well then how can I say no to that?” Tony asked. 

~

The next morning Tony found Pepper at the table in the kitchen, “You used the kid against me.” 

“No. I just told him the truth. He took it from there.” 

“I slept fourteen hours so everyone can stop worrying now.” 

“Peter said that when he left at dinner time that you were completely out of it.” 

“I don’t even remember falling asleep. I remember Peter made me tea and rubbed some weird oil on my forehead that’s supposed to help me sleep. He said May swears by it. I don’t remember anything else besides waking up in the guest room and realizing I’d slept a lot longer than I had planned.” 

“Sounds like you needed to sleep.” 

“I did. Thanks.” Tony leaned over to kiss his fiancé. 

“Thank Peter. I suggested sleep and you got mean. Peter suggested sleep and you decided that it was a good idea.” 

“Actually I think I saw him cry and I knew I’d do anything to make it stop.”

“I think he knows that…”

“Why do you say that?” 

“Well when he walked out here after you fell asleep…He said, ‘worked like a charm.’” 

“How manipulative. I’m kind of proud.” Tony shrugged.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments make my day. The longer the better.
> 
> KUDOS give me joy. 
> 
> Thanks for reading, and LOVE YOU 3000!


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